Vulcanus in Japan 2018-2019 Forum.The Programme's main forum.Here you will find pretty much everything related to Vulcanus in Japan. Information about this session and also previous sessions - applications, shortlisting, selection, etc.

Hi everybody, may I ask you some hints about your application? Which is the thing that you think made the difference in beeing shortlisted? And which are your field of study and, if you have it, past working experiences? Thank you very much in advance

I was volounteeing for the past year in the Institute for physics in the Solud state physics department, I attended a workshop about plasma physics and I was attending IAPS4Fusion conference and I have a 3.3 GPA.I wasn't shortlisted. It sucks a lot.

Last year I had (a) pretty good grades and (b) international experience (including volunteer work abroad).

Results: I got short-listed.

This year *in addition to* the above I had (a) work experience (internship), (b) participated (worked) in a Google-funded mentionable programme over the summer, (c) a Recommendation Letter from an engineer working for a reputed company in my field, (d) slightly *better* grades.

Last year I had (a) pretty good grades and (b) international experience (including volunteer work abroad).

Results: I got short-listed.

This year *in addition to* the above I had (a) work experience (internship), (b) participated (worked) in a Google-funded mentionable programme over the summer, (c) a Recommendation Letter from an engineer working for a reputed company in my field, (d) slightly *better* grades.

Results: I did NOT get short-listed.

So don't spend too much time trying to figure out selection criteria.

I definitely agree with u. I think the motivation letter plays a key role.

There's one key thing that most people don't even think about, and that's demand. You can be a top contender for your field of study, have the greatest CV ever for an applicant, but if there are no offers (choices of placement in this particular case) to match you, it is highly unlikely for your application to be selected. This are just my thoughts, but I'm pretty sure its applicable. Also, they might try to "balance out" the geographical distribution of all short-listed people across Europe, but this is just a guess.

Last year I had (a) pretty good grades and (b) international experience (including volunteer work abroad).

Results: I got short-listed.

This year *in addition to* the above I had (a) work experience (internship), (b) participated (worked) in a Google-funded mentionable programme over the summer, (c) a Recommendation Letter from an engineer working for a reputed company in my field, (d) slightly *better* grades.

Results: I did NOT get short-listed.

So don't spend too much time trying to figure out selection criteria.

Oh... thank you so much for telling me this, because I was struggling in trying to understand the selection criteria. Overall I think that the main problem of this selection is finding a working placement suitable to the specifics of our field of study. What do you think?

Errete wrote:There's one key thing that most people don't even think about, and that's demand. You can be a top contender for your field of study, have the greatest CV ever for an applicant, but if there are no offers (choices of placement in this particular case) to match you, it is highly unlikely for your application to be selected. This are just my thoughts, but I'm pretty sure its applicable. Also, they might try to "balance out" the geographical distribution of all short-listed people across Europe, but this is just a guess.

Last year I had (a) pretty good grades and (b) international experience (including volunteer work abroad).

Results: I got short-listed.

This year *in addition to* the above I had (a) work experience (internship), (b) participated (worked) in a Google-funded mentionable programme over the summer, (c) a Recommendation Letter from an engineer working for a reputed company in my field, (d) slightly *better* grades.

Results: I did NOT get short-listed.

So don't spend too much time trying to figure out selection criteria.

Oh... thank you so much for telling me this, because I was struggling in trying to understand the selection criteria. Overall I think that the main problem of this selection is finding a working placement suitable to the specifics of our field of study. What do you think?

Mate, my field is Computer Science. I think 3/4 or something out of all placements are for Computer Science positions.

Last year I had (a) pretty good grades and (b) international experience (including volunteer work abroad).

Results: I got short-listed.

This year *in addition to* the above I had (a) work experience (internship), (b) participated (worked) in a Google-funded mentionable programme over the summer, (c) a Recommendation Letter from an engineer working for a reputed company in my field, (d) slightly *better* grades.

Results: I did NOT get short-listed.

So don't spend too much time trying to figure out selection criteria.

Oh... thank you so much for telling me this, because I was struggling in trying to understand the selection criteria. Overall I think that the main problem of this selection is finding a working placement suitable to the specifics of our field of study. What do you think?

Mate, my field is Computer Science. I think 3/4 or something out of all placements are for Computer Science positions.

oh god! After all this considerations so what do you think is the problem? (You have send the same previous motivation letter, or maybe changing it you forgot something?)

Ilias95 wrote: Recommendation Letter from an engineer working for a reputed company in my field

You only sent that letter? It is supposed that Compulsory Document 4 is written by a professor.

I got shorlisted this year. I have good grades (8.74/10). I also did voluntary work, (not abroad). I think I got selected because my motivation letter and the recomendation letter were , (in my opinion), good/interesting. I´m a Computer Science student so there is a lot demand for us.

hidesagred97 wrote:You only sent that letter? It is supposed that Compulsory Document 4 is written by a professor.

I got shorlisted this year. I have good grades (8.74/10). I also did voluntary work, (not abroad). I think I got selected because my motivation letter and the recomendation letter were , (in my opinion), good/interesting. I´m a Computer Science student so there is a lot demand for us.

Of course not, I just sent 2 letters. As of the motivation letter it was similar to the one that got me short-listed last year but I obviously changed things.

Errete wrote:There's one key thing that most people don't even think about, and that's demand. You can be a top contender for your field of study, have the greatest CV ever for an applicant, but if there are no offers (choices of placement in this particular case) to match you, it is highly unlikely for your application to be selected. This are just my thoughts, but I'm pretty sure its applicable. Also, they might try to "balance out" the geographical distribution of all short-listed people across Europe, but this is just a guess.

Oh, I think it might be a main reason in many cases.

I have been shortlisted. Short review of my background: I am first year PhD student. When I checked LOP I noticed perfect position for me. I was so excited! It perfectly matched my interest, experience and my range of knowledge. Have you ever tried to imagine your dream job, perfect research subject? That was it. So I applied. (I know, I'm a bit geeky about it)My grades are not bad but also not perfect, but I have a bit experience in the research: I have been on a few scientific conferences and presented my research results and published some papers. I don't know if that's important but I'm attending Japanese language course for over 1.5 year. I don't have much of international experience - only few tourists trips and few two-weeks students exchanges in a different country.

Errete wrote:There's one key thing that most people don't even think about, and that's demand. You can be a top contender for your field of study, have the greatest CV ever for an applicant, but if there are no offers (choices of placement in this particular case) to match you, it is highly unlikely for your application to be selected. This are just my thoughts, but I'm pretty sure its applicable. Also, they might try to "balance out" the geographical distribution of all short-listed people across Europe, but this is just a guess.

Exactly this. I was shortlisted and not selected two years ago, one year ago I got better at everything (cv, grades, projects, japanese etc.), but I wasn't even shortlisted. This year I'm shortlisted.

I'd like to add one consideration: there is a competition to take account of. Maybe two years ago there were less people better than me, while last year there were many better candidates than me. Just keep improving your profile and you might succeed, don't give up!

I'm a 2nd year master's student of computer science, average grades (3.5/5), good recommendation letter written by my mentor, I have some research experience (one paper), Japanese around a high N3 - mid N2 and working on going up to N1. I also speak French, but I don't think it's relevant. I didn't do any volunteer work or have any work experience within my field. I lived in Japan for a bit when I was little, this is the reason why I'm so obsessed with Japan

This year I was shortlisted, however, last year I was not. The only difference is that this year I have a little more experience with working on machine learning + paper, and a new motivational letter but they are similar in essence.

I'm honestly not too confident about being accepted but fingers crossed! The centre matched me with 17 and I put 9 as my second choice.

Two years ago I was doing a bachelor in Software Engineering and I got matched to a Human-Computer Interaction position, this year I am doing my master in Human-Computer Interaction and I got matched to a Software Engineering position

My background: lived in 4 different countries, 3 academic publications, 1 previous industrial placement, 1 student assistant job, 1 casual job, 1 volunteering job, I speak Italian and English, never been to Japan before but I know a lot about it due to personal interests